Gov. Ventura to Broadcast XFL Games

N E W  Y O R K, Nov. 16 -- From the wrestling ring to the governor’smansion to the football broadcast booth.

Jesse Ventura’s career path knows no bounds.

Ventura, a former pro wrestler and the governor of Minnesota,will be an announcer for NBC Sports’ telecasts of the new XFLfootball league, the league and the network said today.

The XFL is a joint venture between NBC and the World WrestlingFederation.

“We’re thrilled to have one of the most interesting andcolorful leaders in America today joining us as an integral part ofthe XFL,” NBC Sports chairman Dick Ebersol said.

Minnesota politicians weren’t all as thrilled.

“He’s clearly using the prestige and the name of his office toenrich himself financially,” state Sen. John Marty said. “Andeven if that’s not illegal, I find it very troubling.

“Where’s his loyalty? The loyalty ought to be to the public —the taxpayer — not people willing to enrich him based on howoutrageous he can be.”

The Personality of the Game

Vince McMahon, the WWF’s chairman, said Ventura is “naturallyopinionated, charismatic and genuine — just like the XFL will be.From day one, we’ve promised that the XFL will allow the truepersonality of the game to shine and we believe that Jesse is thebest person to make that happen.”

It’s the second time Ventura, who was once known as “The Body” and now uses the nickname “The Mind,” has teamed with McMahon. Last year,he served as referee for the WWF’s SummerSlam event at TargetCenter in Minneapolis, and was harshly criticized by manyMinnesotans for participating in an event that featured scantilyclad women, swearing and violence.

He acknowledged a $100,000 fee for the event, but wrestlingexperts estimated he would earn at least another $1 million for theuse of his name and from videos and royalties connected to theevent.